on monday night, all felt sandy's wrath. first came the water, then an explosion two blocks away at coned rocked the neighborhood, leaving flooded basements, the huge mess to clean up. we found one woman cleaning out her waterlogged storage base by flashlight. have you moments in the last couple of days where the stress was just -- >> yeah, it's depressing. >> reporter: edwin cruz brought an rv into the neighborhood, an act so simple it's downright heroic. >> i'm 31 and all i want to do is see my mom. i haven't spoken to her in days. it means a lot to get to charge. ♪ >> reporter: down the block, a street preacher sings and plays songs of faith here on east 11th, people have begun to believe in each other. new yorkers are by nature a fairly resilient bunch, every day here presents its own challenges. and in this crisis, that can-do spirit is a necessity. reuben henderson already has his restaurant cleaned up and ready for customers. >> this is our little bar. >> reporter: the only thing missing, electricity. >> last year,